Laura Bush to visit auto museum in Tustin

Laura Bush will be the keynote speaker at a fundraiser at the Marconi Museum in Tustin benefitting Covenant House California and Covenant House International, which helps at-risk and homeless youth. The event is hosted by Priscilla 'Bo' Marconi, chair of the group's board of directors. COURTESY PHOTO

If you go:

What: Keynote luncheon for Covenant House

Where: Marconi Automotive Museum, 1302 Industrial Drive, Tustin.

When: 11:30 a.m. Jan. 10.

Cost: $500 per guest, or $5,000 for a table of 10. VIP seating is $1,000 per guest, or $10,000 per table of 10, and includes a meet and greet and photo with Bush.

Information: 714-258-3001 or MarconiMuseum.org

TUSTIN – Former First Lady Laura W. Bush will be speaking Monday during a fundraiser for the Covenant House, a charity benefiting homeless and at-risk youth.

Bush will be speaking at the event, and answering questions posed by those attending the luncheon at the Marconi Automotive Museum, 1302 Industrial Drive.

The fundraiser was organized by Priscilla "Bo" Marconi, chairwoman of the board of directors for Covenant House. She serves on the board with Bush's daughter, Barbara P. Bush.

Bush won't be the first famous face at the Marconi Automotive Museum. Check out our slideshow at left for pictures of Sen. John McCain, Meg Whitman and others who have visited the Tustin museum.

Marconi began working with Covenant House about 15 years ago. She served on the board in Hollywood and moved up to the international board in New York. She and her husband, Dick, have raised about $1 million a year for Covenant House and other charities that help children in need through the Marconi Foundation for Kids.

After joining volunteers and social workers on a nighttime van ride, bringing sandwiches and drinks to homeless youth in Hollywood, Marconi began volunteering with the group. She helped out by typing documents on the charity's typewriter.

"To go on a van ride up in Hollywood and see the devastated lives that these kids live is a pretty profound moment in time," Marconi said. "Especially living in Orange County, I live a privileged life and if I can use my influence in our community to raise awareness for these kids, I'm going to do it."

The workers get to know the kids, she said, and will welcome them to Covenant House when they are ready to get off the streets. The group helps with job placement, education, and in some cases, helping to reunite the kids with their families.

"Like all people, whether you're homeless or not, I think everybody wants to be known and if you take the time to ask them about their lives and what they've experienced and what they want to achieve they will open up and tell you about their life," Marconi said.

Marconi met Bush for the first time at the Covenant House gala in New York in June.

"Mrs. Bush is as lovely as her book portrays," Marconi said. "She's well-educated, gracious, thoughtful, kind. She really believes in education for underprivileged kids and has spent a lot of her very powerful time in the White House meeting kids around the country and trying to get them interested in reading and learning."

"She is absolutely wonderful," she said.

After her introduction to the former First Lady, Marconi got the idea to invite her to Tustin, and sent an e-mail inviting her to the fundraiser.

"I had no idea she would agree. I just thought, 'I'm going to throw it out there now, because if you don't ask, you don't know, right?' " she said.

Tickets are still available for the luncheon at 11:30 a.m. Monday, Jan. 10 at the museum, 1302 Industrial Drive.

Laura Bush will be the keynote speaker at a fundraiser at the Marconi Museum in Tustin benefitting Covenant House California and Covenant House International, which helps at-risk and homeless youth. The event is hosted by Priscilla 'Bo' Marconi, chair of the group's board of directors. COURTESY PHOTO
Former President George Bush spoke at the Marconi Automotive Museum in Tustin when his wife, Barbara, backed out of the charity luncheon appearance. H. LORREN AU JR., THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Sen. John McCain speaks during a town hall meeting at the Marconi Automotive Museum in Tustin in 2010. MARK RIGHTMIRE, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Bo Marconi, of the Marconi Foundation, and the Marconi Automotive Museum in Tustin, bids on a bottle of wine during a silent auction at a fundraiser in June 2009. JEFFREY ANTENORE, FOR THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Dick Marconi is the founder of the Marconi Automotive Museum for Kids. The space houses cars that he's collected worth more than $20 million. Marconi's grandson, Vince, looks at the life-size sculpture of a draft horse made of chrome bumpers that is the mascot of the museum. PHOTO BY BRUCE C. STRONG,
Meg Whitman, GOP gubernatorial candidate, speaks during a town hall meeting at the Marconi Automotive Museum in Tustin in 2010. MARK RIGHTMIRE, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Fight Night 11 event chair Ivo Tjan, from left, Mark Sanchez, "Sugar" Ray Leonard, CEO of Marconi Foundation for Kids Priscilla "Bo" Marconi and Matt Cassel in March 2009 at the Marconi Automotive Museum in Tustin. THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Don Doolittle, left, and Bill Powell, right, talk underneath one of the many cars displayed at the Marconi Auto Museum in Tustin in June 2000, during the Big Toys for Big Boys gala for the Pacific Symphony. JANINE SWIATKOWSKI, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Sen. John McCain, left, listens as GOP gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman speaks during a town hall meeting at the Marconi Automotive Museum in Tustin. MARK RIGHTMIRE, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Part of the proceeds from the 12th annual "Fight Night, Rumble in the Jungle," in March 2010 went to the Augie's Quest foundation to cure Lou Gehrigs disease. From left are, Augie's wife Lynn Nieto, Augie Nieto, Wing Lam, of Wahoo's Fish Tacos, and Dick Marconi, founder of the Marconi Automotive Museum, in Tustin. ARMANDO BROWN, FOR THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Pictured is the radiator cap from a 1929 Model A Ford Cabriolet from the private collection of Dick Marconi at the Marconi Automotive Museum for Children in July 1999. The Museum donates profits to local charities. MYLES ROBINSON, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

1 of

User Agreement

Keep it civil and stay on topic. No profanity, vulgarity, racial
slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about
tragedies will be blocked. By posting your comment, you agree to
allow Orange County Register Communications, Inc. the right to
republish your name and comment in additional Register publications
without any notification or payment.